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Grindlays Bank Ltd

Grindlays Bank Ltd (1828-1958), established in London, was a past constituent of NatWest.

Brief history

This overseas bank was established in 1828 as Leslie & Grindlay, agents and bankers to the British army and business community in India. It was styled Grindlay, Christian & Matthews in 1839 and Grindlay & Co from 1843. Branch firms were opened at Calcutta in 1854 and at Bombay in 1865. From 1908 these firms became branches and were thereafter administered directly from London. Additional branches were opened at Simla (1912), Delhi (1923), Lahore (1924) and Peshawar (1926). The bank was acquired by National Provincial Bank Ltd in 1924, but continued to operate as a separate private limited company under the title of Grindlay & Co Ltd. In 1928 its balance sheet totalled almost £3 million. In 1942 it took over Thomas Cook & Son (Bankers) Ltd (est. 1924), extending its business to Burma and Ceylon. It was renamed Grindlays Bank Ltd in 1947.

National Provincial Bank’s interest was sold to National Bank of India Ltd (est. 1863) in 1948, in return for shares and a cash payment. After 1948 the two banks operated separately until merging in 1958 under the title of National Overseas & Grindlays Bank Ltd. At that time National Provincial Bank's shareholding was converted into a 9% holding in this new concern.

In 1968 National Provincial Bank sold its shareholding to Lloyds Bank. The bank was renamed National & Grindlays Bank Ltd in 1959, Grindlays Bank Ltd in 1975 and Grindlays Bank plc in 1982. In 1984 the bank was acquired by Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd, and was renamed ANZ Grindlays Bank in 1989.

Detailed list of name changes

  • Leslie & Grindlay in 1828
  • Grindlay, Christian & Matthews in 1839
  • Grindlay & Co from 1843
  • Grindlay & Co Ltd from 1924
  • Grindlays Bank Ltd in 1947

Published histories

  • G Tyson, 100 years of banking in Asia and Africa 1886-1963 (London: 1963)

Summary of our archive holdings

Our archival records of Grindlays Bank have the reference code GRI.

For help understanding words used here, check our glossary of banking record types (PDF 68 KB).

  • acquisition papers 1923-31
  • memorandum and articles of association 1924
  • ledger balances 1924
  • branch balance sheets, accounts and auditors’ reports to head office 1927
  • profit statements, annual reports and balance sheets 1936-48
  • share receipt statement 1948

Summary of archive holdings elsewhere